Shujinko

Onaga was defeated. I had absorbed the fighting styles of scores of warriors and unleashed an assault on the Dragon King, purging his soul from this existence. His body collapsed – but after a moment of horrific cracking and twisting, it was the lifeless shape of Reptile that lay before me. For a time I was revered as a hero. The people of Outworld accepted me wholeheartedly as the defender of their realm. But their respect and gratitude were misplaced, for it was I who allowed Onaga to return. I played the role of champion to help inspire this war–ravaged land, but I did not feel worthy of their admiration. Some time later, word came to me that Princess Kitana requested my presence at Shao Kahn's fortress. Edenian forces had flushed out Reiko's elite guard, the last remnants of the old empire, and she wished to celebrate the occasion with the "Hero of Outworld" at her side. What gave me pause was that when Kitana and I parted ways after the fall of Onaga, she had expressed a desire to help Liu Kang's disembodied spirit. Therefore, I thought she had left for Earthrealm. Perhaps she had completed her quest and returned sooner than expected — or quite possibly this invitation had not come from Kitana at all! I am not as naïve as I once was. I have had much experience with deception. It could be that a new threat is emerging in my adopted home. If I were to uncover a plot to destabilize the realm and fend off a potential coup, I truly would have earned the respect of the people of Outworld — and redeemed myself in my own eyes.